Christmas lasts all year for miniature village collector

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This is part of an ongoing weekly series. Each Wednesday, the Daily Tribune will feature a local collector and his or her collection. Send an email to Deb Cleworth at deb.cleworth@cwnews.net or call 715-422-6730 if you have an interesting collection or know someone who does.

NAME: Barb Rybicki, Wisconsin Rapids

WHAT SHE COLLECTS: Rybicki collects the "North Pole Series" miniature village items from Department 56. According to the Department 56 website, the series debuted in 1990. Rybicki also has pieces from "The Dickens Village Series," which came out in 1984. Both are part of the Department 56 Heritage Village Collection.

HOW SHE STARTED: Rybicki's collection began when she won a gift certificate from the H. C. Prange Co. (now Younkers), she said.

"So I bought a few pieces, and that's how I got started," Rybicki said.

"I saw that (stores) had lighted houses many years ago," she said. "I just really liked them."

Her initial pieces were from The Dickens Village Series. Then she started buying items from the North Pole Series for her daughter, Lynne Peterson of Stevens Point.

"She had to give (her collection) up because she didn't have room, so she gave it to me," Rybicki said. "And I liked it so much, I decided to continue collecting the North Pole; it's so much more sentimental when it comes to the Christmas scene.

"I just finished the last of the series with the reindeer," she said.

It goes well with her Santa collection, Rybicki said.

FAVORITE PIECE IN THE COLLECTION: While Rybicki is just a little partial to the pieces that spell out "SANTA," it's hard for her to pick a favorite.

"They're just all so nice," Rybicki said.

HOW THE COLLECTION IS DISPLAYED: Because Rybicki has more than 300 items, and it's a lot of work to put them up for the holidays, Rybicki has opted to display the collection year-round.

The North Pole Series is displayed in curio cabinets throughout the home, while the Dickens collection sits atop a kitchen cupboard.

"Then I have a tree next to the North Pole, one that I keep up all year-round," Rybicki said. "It's got different ornaments that are sentimental."

Rybicki is starting to downsize her collection.

"I'm running out of room, and my grandchildren will have enough with what they have," she said.

Rybicki plans to pass her collection to her two granddaughters, Shayla and Skyler Peterson, 8, and 10, respectively, of Stevens Point.

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Christmas lasts all year for miniature village collector

This is part of an ongoing weekly series. Each Wednesday, the Daily Tribune will feature a local collector and his or her collection.

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